12 Fun Facts About Pugs

These wrinkly-faced dogs have an adorably rich history. In honor of National Pug Day, read up on essential facts for any pug fanatic.

1. THEY'RE AN ANCIENT BREED.

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Because the pug lineage stretches so far back, their early history is a little murky. Most believe that the breed originated in China and existed before 400 BCE and were called (or at least closely related to a breed called) “lo-sze.” Buddhist monks kept the dogs as pets in Tibetan monasteries.

2. THEY WERE TREATED LIKE ROYALTY.

Emperors of China kept pugs as lapdogs and treated them to all the luxuries of royal life. Sometimes the pampered pooches were given their own mini palaces and guards.

3. A GROUP OF PUGS IS CALLED A GRUMBLE

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In Holland, the pug is called a mopshond, which comes from the Dutch for “to grumble.”

4. THE BREED PROBABLY GETS ITS NAME FROM A MONKEY.

Marmosets were kept as pets in the early 18th century and were called pugs. The name made the jump to the dog because the two animals shared similar facial features.

5. THE PUG IS THE OFFICIAL BREED OF THE HOUSE OF ORANGE.

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In 1572, the Dutch were in the midst of the Eighty Years' War, a protracted struggle against the Spanish. The Prince of Orange, William the Silent, led the Dutch forces into battle. According to Dutch legend, while the prince was sleeping in his tent one night, Spanish assassins lurked just outside. Luckily, William’s pug, Pompey, was there to bark wildly and jump on his owner’s face. The Prince woke up and had his would-be assassins apprehended. Because of this, the pug was considered the official dog of the House of Orange. The effigy of Prince William I above his tomb also features Pompey at his feet (although weirdly, that dog doesn’t have a flat face, leading some to believe that it was a different breed).

Later, when Prince William III came to England to rule with his wife Mary II, he brought his pugs, who wore little orange ribbons to their master’s 1689 coronation.

6. THE PERFECT PUG TAIL HAS TWO CURLS.

Pugs are known for their curly tails that curve up towards their bodies. According to the AKC, “the double curl is perfection.”

7. THERE'S A PUG WITH AN MBA.

In 2009, Chester Ludlow the pug received an online graduate degree from Rochville University. He submitted his resume to the website and paid around $500 for entry. A week later, he received his grades, degree, and a school window decal in the mail. Although he never attended a class, he received a 3.19 and he got an A in Finance. Chester may have been the first pug to get his degree.

It’s too bad Rochville University isn't accredited. The whole thing was a stunt pulled by a website called GetEducated.com. The website reviews online colleges to protect students from being duped by diploma mill fraud. So while Chester the pug has a diploma, you won’t see him getting a job very soon (unless that job is acting in cute commercials).

8. THERE WAS A SECRET ORGANIZATION NAMED AFTER THE DOG.

Around 1740, Roman Catholics formed a secret fraternal group called the Order of the Pug. The Pope forbad Catholics from joining the Freemasons, so this group formed as a replacement. They chose the pug as their symbol because the dogs were loyal and trustworthy. The Grand Master was a man, but each division of the group had two “Big Pugs” that were always one male and one female.

To join, members were expected to prove their devotion by kissing the rear of the Grand Pug under his tail (luckily, the Grand Pug was porcelain). Other wacky habits included wearing dog collars, scratching at the lodge door for entry, and barking loudly.

This outcome probably wasn’t the result anyone was expecting from the freemason ban, so this new, stranger group got banned in several regions, until ultimately fizzling out. Probably due to a lack of people willing to kiss a pug’s posterior.

9. JOSEPHINE BONAPARTE'S PUG DIDN'T MESS AROUND.

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Napoleon’s wife Josephine had a pet pug named Fortuné that she loved so much that she refused to let the dog sleep anywhere but in her bed. It’s rumored that when Napoleon entered the bed with his new wife for the first time, her pug bit him on the leg.

10. THEY'VE GOT ROYAL CONNECTIONS IN THE UK, TOO.

Long before Queen Elizabeth II met her first corgi, Queen Victoria was the top British dog fancier, and she loved pugs. Victoria was such a dog lover that she also banned the practice of cropping ears, enabling pug owners to enjoy their pups’ velvety ears in all their glory.

11. THEIR SHORT NOSES CAUSE SOME TROUBLE.

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Pugs are brachycephalic, meaning their noses are pushed in more than other dogs. While cute, these smushed faces can lead to some breathing problems. Their facial structure makes it difficult to take long and deep breaths, which is why you might hear a pug snuffling while running around. The dogs are still very energetic, but they might not be the best swimmers and may have trouble on airplanes.

12. PUGS ARE MADE TO BE COMPANIONS.

Pugs are excellent pets because of their adaptable personality. Whether you like to stay at home or enjoy the outdoors, the little dogs will be up for anything. Bred to be companions, their favorite place is right by your side.

Shocker: This Electric Eel Delivers More Voltage Than Any Creature on Earth

Eels are proving to be more slippery than previously believed. A newly identified species of these skinny fish (yes, eels are really fish) delivers more electric voltage than any other creature on the planet.

All species in their taxonomic order (Gymnotiformes) are capable of producing a modest electrical field to help them navigate, a perk that compensates for their poor vision. But electric eels (in the genus Electrophorus) pack a far more potent punch. They bear three organs full of cells that can produce electricity on demand. The cells act as a defense mechanism and can effectively taser prey into submission.

In a study published in Nature Communications, researchers collected more than 100 electric eels in the Amazon region and analyzed their DNA, voltage, and habitat. To their surprise, they found that the single known species of electric eel, Electrophorus electricus, was actually three distinct species. They gave the two new ones the very heavy metal names of E. varii and E. voltai. The latter (named for Alessandro Volta, who invented the electric battery) produced the strongest shock: 860 volts, topping the previous record of 650 volts.

Why the varying strength? The researchers suggested that some eels occupy water with low salt content, and therefore reduced conductivity. A stronger charge may be needed to deliver an effective jolt.

While those numbers sound formidable, their low current means a shock wouldn’t necessarily be harmful to a human. Voltage is the measure of pressure of the flow of electrons; current, or amperage, is the volume of electrons. Eels have high voltage but low current; household power outlets have lower voltage but more current and can be deadly. Eels might startle you with a shock, but it won't be fatal.

If you should find yourself in a school of electric eels bent on subduing you, however, the shocks could result in brief incapacitation that could lead to drowning or an aggravation of an existing heart condition. The study authors hope to eventually film a coordinated eel attack on (non-human) prey.

The discovery of two new species was “quite literally shocking,” lead author Carlos David de Santana told The New York Times.

Need Help Cleaning Up the Dog Poop in Your Yard? There’s an App for That

You love your dog, but you surely don't love what they behind in the yard for you to clean up. In most cases, scooping up poop is an unpleasant but unavoidable part of pet parenthood. Now, as WGN9 reports, there's a way to keep your yard looking pristine without breaking out the waste disposal bags. A business called Plowz & Mowz will come to your home and scoop the poop for you.

Plowz & Mowz is like Taskrabbit for outdoor chores. The app was built around services like plowing driveways, mowing lawns, and mulching gardens, and it recently added pet waste removal to its list.

If you want to get rid of the dog poop on your lawn without getting your hands dirty, download the Plowz & Mowz app and request a poop-scooper to come to your home. After answering a few questions about your property, you'll receive a free quote with the option to set up a date for the service. A contractor will come to your house, update you throughout the process, and send a photo of your poop-free yard once they've finished the task.

Plowz & Mowz is currently operating in more than 40 metro areas, including, Boston, Dallas, Chicago, and Atlanta. To see if the app's poop-removal service is available in your area, you can enter your ZIP code on the website.

Cleaning up waste isn't necessarily time-consuming work, but it's something many pet owners avoid doing at all costs. Some apartment complexes have even started using DNA testing to identify the culprits behind unattended pet poo.